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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\V. POVELL WARE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOOT AND SHOE.

Specilieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,052, dated June 7, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I. W. PowEEL WARE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new improvement for Boots and Shoes; and I di,y h ireby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my invention Fig. 2, a plan view of the metallic plate used between the inner and outer soles with the metallic counter.

The improvements heretofore invented consisted simply in a steel plate or shank-piece extending from the center of the heel to the commencement of the tread of the foot, terminating there, whereby a great amount ot fric tion was produced at that point, the result of which was the wearing of the steel plate through the outer sole at that point. They wereintended for and called a spring-shank, designed to prevent boots from breaking down in the hollow or shank of the foot, but it signally failed to accomplish that purpose, being too elastic. lt. has often been taken out ot boots for the rea-sons above stated, is only used to a limited extend, and will probably in a short time cease to be used at all.

This invention consists in a plate, made of steel or other metallic substance, placed between the inner and outer soles, extending from the heel to the toe, being snthciently rigid at the shank to prevent it from breaking Cown, and made sutticiently thin from the commencement of the tread to the toe as to allow it. to spring with the motion of the foot, thireby giving elasticity and ease in walking, preventing water from penetrating through the sole, and throwing the friction under the ball o? the foot instead of att-he tread, at which point the friction is greatly diminished. The

metallic counter (or other rigid substance) may be placed on the outside, inside, or set in the leather stiftening, or otherwise, and secured to the metallic plate by means of screws, rivets, or otherwise, thereby preventing boots, shoes, &c., from running down oneither side or breaking down behind. The whole combined retains the original shape ofthe boot or shoe, and causes it to wear perfectly true until worn out.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand my invention and construct the same, I will proceed to describe it.

rlhe inner sole of the boot or shoe is first fitted to the last. The upper is then put on and the lining secured to the inner sole as far as the heel extends. The metallic counter is then inserted between the lining and the upper-leather, securing the upper over the metallic counter to the inner sole as far as the heel extends. lhe welt is then sewed on, atter which the metallic plate is then laid on and secured to the metallic counter, as heretofore described. The outer sole is then put on and the boot or shoe tlnished in the ordinary way.

I do not eontine my invention to boots and shoes only. It may be applied to childrens shoes, ladies and gents slippers, gaiters, &c.

I do not claim the invention ot' a metallic counter, but

What I claim as my invention is- A plate, made ot' steel or other metallic substance, placed bctween the inner and outer soles, extending from the heel to the toe, in combination with a metallic counter, the whole substantially as herein set forth.

\V. POlVELL TARE Witnesses:

ANDREW I. TODD, JOHN J. LYON. 

